Iowa DNR Switches Up Online Camping Reservation Ratio

Iowa DNR Switches Up Online Camping Reservation Ratio

DES MOINES, Iowa – Campers in Iowa will soon be able to get a jump start on their Memorial Day weekend plans.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources will open up online reservations at state park campsites for the holiday weekend on February 25th.

“Campers can make reservations for sites three months ahead of their first night stay,” said Todd Coffelt, chief of the DNR State Parks Bureau. “Now is a great time to start planning summer vacations and make a reservation at your favorite park.”

The Iowa DNR says this will be the first camping season that 75% of the available campsites will be able to be reserved online, with the remaining 25% available on a first-come first-serve basis. The previous split was 50-50, but Coffelt says the change was made to help attract out of state campers who rely on having a spot reserved before traveling.

Campgrounds at five of Iowa’s state parks will be closed for the 2018 camping season because of renovations. Those campsites are at Ledges State Park, Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, Geode State Park, Marble Beach State Recreation Area and Maquoketa Caves State Park.

The state parks themselves will remain open for day use.

Coffelt says the Canyon Road at Ledges State Park, which was closed last year due to a partial collapse, is expected to be re-opened by July 4th as long as there aren’t any major weather-related delays during construction.